Idina Menzel Broadway musical capitalizes on Travolta’s Oscar mess-up

Idina Menzel arrives on the red carpet at the 2014 Oscars on March 2, 2014. – Photo AFP

Get Shorty star pronounced her name as 'Adele Dazeem’.

IDINA Menzel’s new Broadway musical is capitalizing on John Travolta’s tortured pronunciation of the Let It Go belter’s name during March 2’s Academy Awards telecast.

Travolta’s botched introduction of Menzel, during which he called her something that sounded like “Adele Dazeem”, instantly went viral.

That gave the marketing team behind If/Then, which marks Menzel’s return to the Great White Way after nearly a decade, an opportunity to have a little fun. The musical’s social media mavens whipped up a poster for the new musical with the tagline, “You Know Her Name”. It also featured a photo of the actress performing the Oscar-winning song from Frozen.

As of 3pm PST, the image had been shared more than 420 times on Facebook and attracted more 2,550 “likes”. On Twitter, the image was retweeted more than 200 times and favourited more than 300.

If/Then is a new musical about an urban planner who shakes up her life – something of a dicey proposition in today’s Broadway environment. Shows either tend to be adaptations of hit films, such as Rocky and Bullets Over Broadway – two other musicals opening this spring – or else they carry star wattage, such as the upcoming revival of Cabaret with Oscar-nominee Michelle Williams.

To that end, If/Then heavily promoted Menzel’s Oscar appearance as a way to draw attention to the show. Video of her singing Let It Go is on the musical’s Facebook page, and in the days leading up to her appearance on the Oscars, If/Then’s promotional team teased her upcoming turn in the spotlight.

Menzel is unknown to more than just the Travolta household.

However, she previously headlined the Broadway smash Wicked and Frozen is one of the biggest hits in Walt Disney history, having earned US$1bil (RM3.3bil) at the worldwide box office. She may be one more killer song or, barring that, one more introductory gaffe away from stardom.

If/Then will open on Broadway at the Richard Rogers Theatre on March 5. – Reuters